Nine teams and garrisons from Korea to Monterey to Maryland earned recognition in the 2010 Secretary of the Army Quality of Life awards.
Secretary of the Army John McHugh signed certificates which will be presented this month to recognize individuals, commands, and team efforts in improving Soldier and family quality of life.
Superior QOL Awards
Three garrisons won Superior Quality of Life Awards for initiatives that officials said could be emulated by installations and commands world-wide: a mass transit partnership, discounted activities for families of deployed Soldiers and a customer feedback program.
U.S. Army Garrison Presidio of Monterey earned the Superior Quality of Life Award for a small unit or installation for successfully teaming with a local mass transportation company, Monterey Salinas Transit, under the Mass Transportation Benefit Program and the Transportation Incentive Program.
The Presidio addressed customer requirements, alleviated parking constraints, reduced pollution and traffic congestion, helped preserve the environment, expanded transportation alternatives and created a safer, more cost-effective mode of transportation for their community.
Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation at Schofield Barracks, Hawaii, earned the Superior Quality of Life Award for a large unit or installation for developing the "Blue Star Card," which provides discounted and free services to help keep family members engaged and entertained throughout their Soldier's deployment.
The Blue Star Card program has significantly helped ease deployment stress and anxiety for deployed Soldiers and waiting families, officials said.
U.S. Army Garrison Yongsan, Korea, earned the Superior Quality of Life Award for a medium-sized unit or installation for implementing an aggressive action plan and employing best practices to increase the community's use of their "Voice of the Customer" feedback program.
These efforts have provided the Yongsan community with standardized, effective and efficient services, facilities and infrastructure, which have improved the quality of life for servicemembers, civilians and families, officials said.
Command Team Award
U.S. Army Garrison Command Team at Carlisle Barracks, Pa., earned The Command Team Quality of Life Award for demonstrating personal involvement in initiating quality of life improvements within their command. The garrison's command team engaged in a myriad of unique strategies to make their private housing partner part of the "Garrison Team," and committed to an unprecedented level of customer service.
Special Recognition
The Maneuver Support Center of Excellence, Fort Leonard Wood, Mo., Command Team earned the Special Recognition Award for demonstrating exceptional resiliency after a tornado struck the installation on New Year's Eve, destroying 47 homes and damaging 97 others. Their extreme focus and expedient recovery operations enabled continuation of their mission and put their facilities back to pre-storm status within the year, with no disruptions in scheduled training cycles for between 80,000 and 90,000 students.
Best Practices
Army Community Service and Directorate of Human Resources, 1st Infantry Division and U.S. Army Garrison, Fort Riley, Kan., earned the Best Practices Award presented to an installation, command or group that has demonstrated the ability to develop "best practices" to improve Soldiers' and their family members' quality of life for establishing the Resilient Spouse Academy, a unique program which focuses on family members' resilience.
The Resilient Spouse Academy has provided the community a network of trained, prepared and motivated spouses with the ability to identify Soldiers and families at risk and assist them in locating the support they need.
QOL Partnership Award
The Meade Alliance, U.S. Army Garrison, Fort George G. Meade, Md., earned the Quality of Life Partnership Award presented to new or exciting partnerships that have improved Soldier or family quality-of-life programs.
The installation partnered with a consortium of more than 250 local businesses, universities and private organizations, to include the United Service Organization, to entirely furnish and outfit a new Soldier and Family Assistance Center. This dynamic partnership enabled the community to positively impact the lives of their 200 warriors in transition and their family members in less than 12 months, without cost to the U.S. Government.
Communication Award
Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation Marketing Team, U.S. Army Garrison, Schofield Barracks, Hawaii, earned the Quality of Life Award for Communication Excellence presented to individuals or commands that have employed new or unique communication efforts for creating "Eddie the Eagle" and successfully marketing, promoting and generating interest in Family and MWR programs and services.
"Eddie the Eagle" is a highly successful branding technique which embodies the Family and MWR mission and goals and significantly supports the garrison's mission of providing high-quality programs to Soldiers and families.
Honorable Mention
The 2nd Battalion, 47th Infantry Regiment, 192nd Infantry Brigade, Fort Benning, Ga., earned the Quality of Life Honorable Mention Communication Award for developing unique and creative communication abilities with families of Initial Entry Training Soldiers. The battalion's success in employing traditional and non-traditional communication techniques has built a lasting community network which has significantly improved Soldier and family quality of life, officials said.
The awards are scheduled to be presented during the Association of the United States Army Installation Symposium in San Antonio, by Under Secretary of the Army Joseph Westphal, April 19.
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